It’s not often you come across a charming restaurant, in a spectacular spot, and one that’s not a tourist trap. Luckily, this is one of the exceptions from the rule, at least for me!
El Huerto de Juan Ranas sits just below the most popular photo spot in Granada – Mirador St Nicolas – but unlike the view point, you won’t have to use your elbows to get into the prime spot to take a single photo.
The restaurant stretches over a number of terraces, each offering spectacular views of the Alhambra and just behind it the breath-taking and snow-covered Sierra Nevada mountain range. During my visit, the lower floors which offered even better views were not open (this is just shortly after Granada was open following covid closures), but we managed to sneak in for a quick bite just before sunset and without a reservation.
The restaurant is very popular – as you would expect – and tables are changing fast. People come here mostly for a few drinks and a quick photo to their travel collection, only a few stay for a meal with the whole family. Without much of a thought we ordered some food for a very early dinner, and to my surprise the food was spectacular.
Yes, it is more expensive than other places in Granada, but views and location usually come with a price tag. The service in the restaurant was very professional and everything seemed to have been running like clockwork – it’s very obvious they are used to catering a lot of people. When I asked if we could change tables to a better location, the waiter didn’t hesitate for a second to move us around.
The fact that the restaurant was pretty much packed did not take much away from the experience as there was plenty of space between the tables, and each could enjoy the views.
This was my last meal in Granada and what a way to end the trip – and I can’t believe I almost missed this place!
If you’re looking for something truly spectacular that delivers on both location & food, this is the place the be.
Explore More in Granada
Visiting Alhambra in Granada: The Complete Guide
Generalife Palace & Gardens, Granada
The Charming Albaicin Neighbourhood of Granada
The Alcazaba of Alhambra, Granada
13 Beautiful Photography Locations in Granada: Tips from a Local Expat
My Stay at Hotel Casa 1800, Granada
Carmen de los Martires, Granada
Granada Monuments Tickets & Tours
Here are a few guided trip options for visiting the main sights in Alhambra. To check availability and prices please click on the link below.
- Alhambra & Nasrid Palaces Fast-Track Ticket – enjoy a fast-track access to all the sights within the grounds of Alhambra, including the Generalife Gardens. Does not include a guide.
- Alhambra, Nasrid Palaces, and Generalife Tour – fast track entry to the Alhambra complex with a private or shared tour guide.
- Nasrid Palaces & Generalife Ticket with Audioguide – the same tickets to Alhambra this time including an audio guide in the language of your choice.
- Sacromonte: Flamenco Show at Cuevas Los Tarantos Tickets – entry tickets to the popular flamenco performance in the Sacromonte district of Granada
Southern Spain Travel Tips
BEST CAR RENTAL
To rent a car, I highly recommend Discover Cars, an award winning price comparison site for car rentals.
BUS & TRAIN TICKETS
To get the cheapest bus or train tickets, take a look at Omio to find the timetables and prices.
LOCAL TOURS
Local travel companies offer many day trip options from almost all the destinations in Southern Spain. You can check them out here.
HOTELS
I have been using booking.com for all my trips in Spain and abroad, and it’s the best place to book your hotel.
LUGGAGE STORE
If you would like to leave your luggage behind to explore the city on your last day, you can use Radical Storage service, which lets you book luggage storage in all the destinations in Spain.
LOCAL SIM CARD
If you want to avoid surprising extra charges from your operator, you can use a service like Airalo, where you can buy digital packs for e-sim cards.
Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links – if you decide to book using one of the links, I will earn a small commission that helps me run this site. This is at no extra cost to you.
